1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of performing start preparation for a vehicular engine prior to starting the vehicular engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-340028 there is disclosed a start preparation system which detects; the opening/closing of a vehicle door, the insertion of a key into a key cylinder, a driver sitting down on a seat, fastening of a seat belt, or the like, and from these detection results, predicts starting of the engine, and in the case where starting of the engine is predicted, commences start preparation for the engine.
For this start preparation for the engine, power supply is started to a heater provided in a fuel injection valve which injects fuel into the engine.
However, when starting of the engine is predicted based on the opening/closing of the vehicle door or the like, then even for a boarding operation by a person other than the driver, starting of the engine is predicted. Consequently, in the conventional system, there is a problem in that start preparation for the engine is wastefully executed.